Stuffed Shells with Artichoke Cream Sauce

Easily made, this elegant entree is best for Vata and Pitta. Because it is so rich Kapha should eat a small portion of this sweet, oily, heavy, slightly sour, slighdy pungent dish.

Serves 4 (3 shells per serving)

12 large pasta shells

1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee

1 tablespoon basil pesto (see Green Sauce, page 179)

1 medium sweet red pepper, cut in i-inch pieces

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup soft tofu

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup chopped spinach

1 teaspoon black or white pepper 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Boil the pasta shells in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Prepare the sauce while the shells cook. Heat the oil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Add the pesto and the peppers. Fry until the peppers are soft. Add the cream and stir in the cheese. Simmer until the sauce bubbles and is slighdy thickened. Cover and set aside while you stuff the shells.

2. Preheat the oven to 400Â°F.

3. Mix the tofu, ricotta, parsley, spinach, pepper, and nutmeg together and stuff each cooled shell. Pour a cup of the sauce in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Arrange the stuffed shells closely together and fill in the spaces with the quartered artichoke hearts. Sprinkle with the paprika and the grated Parmesan, if you like. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

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